Amarinder Singh Slams Meenakshi Lekhi For "Hooligans" Remark On Farmers

Mr Singh slammed the BJP leader for using "derogatory language" for the farmers and said the remark reflected the party's anti-farmer mindset.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday demanded resignation of Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi for allegedly calling protesting farmers "hooligans". Ms Lekhi, when asked about incidents of violence during the farmers' protests against the three central agricultural laws, had on Thursday called the protesters "mawali" or hooligans. After a reporter referred to farmers allegedly attacking a cameraperson when he was covering their protests at Jantar Mantar, she said, "You should stop calling them farmers because they are not farmers. They are playing in the hands of some conspirators. Farmers don't have time to sit in Jantar Mantar. They are working on their farms. Middlemen are behind them (protesters) who do not want farmers to get benefits." She also cited the violent incidents in the national capital during farmers' protest on January 26 and said these protesters should not be called farmers.